Red // Otto Hightower (1)

12. Tis Glorious

Aegon.

A son.

An heir.

The castle was in a tizzy. Aelsa didnt think it was worth knocking on her door for. She didnt care that Alicent fave birth unless someone saw otto come into her chambers and never leave but that someone would have to be watching her.

"Could have been you." Tyland whispered. Aelsa swatted a hand at him. 

"When the comes I will an amazing mother. That time is not yet." Aelsa informed him. "I like power, I dont like screaming babies and you know the fucking strength it takes to push a human from your body? No, you dont and never will and I dont want to fucking find out for a long while." Aelsa demanded. 

"Did you congratulate the king yet?" 

"No. I was otherwise occupied." Aelsa answered. 

"By?" 

"You, you idiot." Aelsa declared thumping her thumb against his forehead. "Viserys!" Aelsa coed moving to him. "I just heard, what glorious news!" 

"Tis glorious, I named him Aegon." Viserys remarked holding onto her hands. 

"Aegon, thats so lovely. He will be a little conqueror." Aelsa declared. Tyland cocked his head at his cousin. She could be in monster mode to sweet and cuddly like a little kitten. Turning on a dime. Tyland worried about people like that, never knew where their loyalty lied. It was usually with themselves. That was why Tyland and Aelsa's parents did want her to get married, they wanted her to be queen but they got over that because the first female hand was more impressive than another queen, thats name would soon be forgotten.

Aelsa saw Otto coming out of his daughters chambers and he locked eyes on her. 

"Excuse me, I should congratulate the queen." Aelsa remarked. "You really are a grandpa now." Aelsa whispered, that sexy smirk on her lips as she passed him. Otto watched her as she dragged a hand over his arm as she moved past him. "Alicent," Aelsa coed coming into her chambers. 

"Aegon. A son." Viserys declared. It was strange to think of Viserys as Otto's son in law but thats what he was. 

"I'm a grandsire." Otto agreed stiffly as if he needed another thing to make him seem impossibly old to Aelsa. Hell he had sons older than Aelsa and yet Viserys daughter was the same age as his alicent and... Otto shook the thought from his head. Aelsa didnt want him anyways. There was no point wasting his thoughts on what ifs and false possibilities. But that kiss echoed in his mind wondering what might have happened if no one knocked on the door. 

"You have a gentle touch." Alicent remarked as Aelsa rocked Aegon to sleep. 

"I have a little brother." Aelsa offered with a shrug. "How was it?" 

"What?" 

"Labor." Aelsa answered looking up from Aegon. 

"It was fine." Alicent whispered. "He came quickly they tell me." 

"You dont have to lie to me. I know your secrets remember?" Aelsa remarked. 

"It was horrible."  Alicent declared. "I thought he was going to rip me open but then I would be dead and wouldnt have to-" Alicent stopped herself. 

"You may never love the king but you will learn to love your children."

"Children." Alicent repeated realizing she would be raped and tormented again and again until the day she died. Or viserys died. 

"Regret listening to your father?" Aelsa mused. Alicent gave a stiff nod. "I stopped listening to mine." Aelsa informed her. "Made my life easier doing what I wanted instead of trying to please everyone else." 

"I'm not like you."

"I know... I wasnt the nicest to you before. I'm sorry about that." 

"You were right." Alicent countered. "I'm a disgrace to the female race."

"You are an inspiration." Aelsa corrected sitting beside her. "You are the queen thats supposed to be the most powerful position after the king." 

"You didnt want it. You found a real position of power, thats why you didnt want to be queen right?" Alicent whimpered. 

"Yes." Aelsa agreed. "Your life isnt over Alicent."

"It feels like it." 

"I'm the hand, I am here to help the king and the queen." Aelsa reminded her. 

"What are you saying?" Alicent questioned. 

"I'm here to help the queen in her time of need. What do you need?" 

"Can you take Aegon? I can't look at him." Alicent admitted. "I can't look at him and not see that night, every night that the king mounted me like I was a broodmare." Alicent scoffed out. "Just a womb, not even a person." Alicent's eyes flickered to Aegon. "I can not look at him without feeling that pain." 

"I hope for your sake that pain fades." Aelsa remarked as she got up. "I got him. Take a nap, drink a flagen of wine, do whatever you need. I got him."

"Thank you Aelsa." Alicent agreed. "Maybe you are not so bad, my father speaks highly of you. I see why."

"Your father speaks highly of me?" Aelsa questioned. Alicent nodded. 

"I never thought he would enjoy someone stepping on his toes in the hands office but he has nothing but good things to say about you when we speak." Alicent agreed. 

"Thats good to hear." Aelsa agreed fondly, a smile tugging at her lips. She headed out closing the door behind her. "I'm going to take Aegon, give the queen some rest." Aelsa remarked, cradling little Aegon in her arms. "Don't worry I won't lose him." she mused. 

"Aelsa is a godsend." Viserys remarked watching her head off. 

"She is." Otto agreed. He chased after her. "Might I join you?''

 "You want to talk about that kiss?" Aelsa countered. 

"What kiss? Its been so crazy this morning it must have slipped my mind." Otto offered, he watched her lips curve into a smile. 

"Let me remind you." Aelsa suggested lifting her free hand bringing his face to hers.